Putnam Problem Set 9

October 20th
1. (P 1996 A4) Let S be a set of ordered triples (a, b, c) of distinct elements
of a finite set A. Suppose that:
1. (a, b, c) ∈ S if and only if (b, c, a) ∈ S,
2. (a, b, c) ∈ S if and only if (c, b, a) 6∈ S,
3. (a, b, c) and (c, d, a) are both in S if and only if (b, c, d) and (d, a, b)
are both in S.
Prove that there exists a one-to-one function g: A 7→ R such that g(a) <
g(b) < g(c) implies (a, b, c) ∈ S. [Note: R is the set of real numbers.]

2. (P 1989 B2) Let S be non-empty set with an associative operation that

is left and right cancellative (x y = x z implies y = z, and y x = z x implies
y = z). Assume that for every a in S the set {an : n = 1, 2, 3, . . .} is finite.
Must S be a group?

3. (P 1974 A1) Call a set of positive integers “conspiratorial” if no three of

them are pairwise relatively prime. (A set of integers is “pairwise relatively
prime” if no pair of them has a common divisor greater than 1.) What is
the largest number of elements in any “conspiratorial” subset of the integers
1 through 16?

4. 4. (P 1974 A3) A well known theorem asserts that a prime p > 2

can be written as the sum of two perfect squares (p = m2 + n2 , with m
and n integers) if and only if p ≡ 1 (mod 4). Assuming this result, find
which primes p > 2 can be written in each of the following forms, using (not
necessarily positive) integers x and y:
(a) x2 + 16y 2 ;
(b) 4x2 + 4x y + 5y 2 .

5. (P 1974 A6) It is well known that the value of the polynomial (x +

1)(x + 2) · · · (x + n) is exactly divisible by n for every integer x. Given n,
let k = k(n) be the minimal degree of any monic integral polynomial

f (x) = xk + a1 xk−1 + · · · + ak

(with integer coefficients and leading coefficient 1) such that the value of
f (x) is exactly divisible by n for every integer x.
Find the relationship between n and k = k(n). In particular, find the
value of k corresponding to n = 1, 000, 000.